Beaten
by tiffywiffyfluffykitty
Summary: Romeo is one of the school's most popular heartthrobs and Wendy's the one who caught his heart. Not everyone's happy about it though, and something horrible happens to Wendy.


**Beaten**

I watched as Romeo talked animatedly to a group of girls who were obviously flirting outright with him, even though they were at least two years older. I sighed and turned away, wishing he would talk to me. We did talk several times, but each time made me want more.

My eyes turned wistful as he turned and ran off to soccer practice.

"Oooh, someone's in looooove," a familiar voice cooed. Lucy sauntered up to me. As a senior, she'll be graduating in a few months and I'll really miss her when she's gone.

"I'm not!" I protested. "I'm just surprised, that's all."

"If you say," she said amusedly and left to talk to Levy, who just came out of the school library with a stack of books higher than she was tall.

Magnolia High School was the largest school in the city. Romeo and I were in freshman year and most of our friends was either a junior or senior. That usually left me and Romeo together but we were still allowed into the older kids' group.

Chelia, a good friend of mine, sidled up to me. "You've really got it bad, Wendy."

"I know," I said sadly. She looked at me, thinking.

"We have free period. Why don't we go watch him at soccer practice?" Chelia asked.

"Um… I don't want to bother him…," I began, but Chelia was already towing me towards the field.

* * *

Romeo was the star of the team as usual. He raced across the field, dribbling the ball between his feet and scoring. He whooped and dashed back to his teammates, who clapped him on the back. Several girls a grade older who were here especially to watch him cheered and he waved at them, a bashful smile on his face that made my heart twinge.

I watched him from the bleachers, covertly watching him in my opinion, but everyone could see that I was openly staring at him. He turned and saw me watching him. I ducked to hide my head, but not before I saw his grin. I blushed. Was he smiling at _me_?

Chelia elbowed me and I looked up again. "What?

She shrugged. "You know, maybe he likes you."

"Please," I scoffed. "Me? As if!"

"He smiled at you and he doesn't look at anyone else that way!" She sighed. "I wish Lyon could look at me that way…" Lyon Vastia is a senior whom Chelia had known for a while and had developed a major crush on.

"Chelia… Lyon's too old for you…" I said, sweatdropping.

"I don't care!" she said passionately. "For love, I would ignore all differences between us!"

"O-Oh…"

A shout below us made us turn back to the practice game. A group of boys were furiously battling for the ball. I saw Romeo's dark head in the group and I craned my neck forward, trying to see better.

Then Romeo disappeared, falling with a cry and everyone drew back to reveal him lying on the ground, his right leg at an unnatural angle.

I gasped loudly. "Chelia! Romeo's hurt!"

"Why isn't anyone going to get a teacher?" She snapped and bounded off the bleachers to run back to school.

The girls in the bleachers raced to the field, sobbing. I ached to go with them, but I was scared of making myself too obvious to him.

The teachers came with medics, who carried a stretcher. They picked him up and wheeled him off the field. Everybody was whispering and more than one was texting on their phone. This incident would spread throughout the entire school by the end of the day.

I stood as Chelia came back. "How is he?"

"We're going to the hospital. Come on!" She took my wrist and dragged me down the bleachers.

"Huh?!" I yelled. "Why?"

Chelia turned to me with her eyes shining suspiciously like Mira's. "For love."

* * *

"How is he?" I asked anxiously.

"He's fine, just a broken leg," the doctor reassured me and left to talk to a nearby nurse carrying a clipboard.

Chelia elbowed me in the ribs, although gently. "See? I told you he's alright."

I nodded and exhaled with relief, feeling a weight lift from my body. Our heads whipped to the side as a small shriek of laughter came from Romeo's room. More than one person looked at that particular room with disgust and disapproval.

Chelia growled. "What are those girls doing here? He's supposed to rest, not have him put up with them."

I placed a hand on her arm in a placating gesture. "They just want to wish him well." But I didn't believe my own words and neither did she.

Another loud noise erupted from the room and Chelia finally got fed up. "That's it," she muttered and strode to the open door where a large group of girls, freshman or sophomore or junior, were standing around talking and laughing in loud voices while showing off themselves to Romeo. One of them was even sitting way too close to him and I frowned sharply.

"Alright! That's enough! Everyone out!" Chelia announced in a loud voice, pulling me over so I stood next to her.

The girls exchanged looks and one of them, a brunette with a rather busty chest for her age, leaned forward and sneered. "Who's going to make us? You?" They all laughed.

"Me." Romeo said and they all turned around to look at him, who stared back with a stony face.

"But Romeo-kun," the brunette whined in an annoying pouty voice.

"Go, you guys are getting seriously annoying now get out of here," he snapped. "And don't ever come near me again."

They girls grumbled but left, some of them shoving rudely past Chelia, but one of them pushed me to the floor. I hit the hard linoleum, my elbow hitting it painfully as I cried out with pain and Romeo straightened abruptly.

"Wendy!" he cried out and I stared with surprise at his frantic, worried look.

Chelia helped me up and a doctor checked my wound. "You have a little bit of bruising, but it'll be fine in a few days." He straightened and glanced towards Romeo, who was anxiously watching us, then bent down and whispered but loud enough so that Chelia could hear as well, "I think that young man is worried about you. Why don't you go talk to him?" He winked and left.

I stood, blushing, and Chelia nudged me towards the door. "Go on." She smiled gently. "Go talk to him."

I nodded and went, glancing back, my heart pounding furiously and Chelia, with a cheeky grin, shut the door after me.

I was alone in the same room as Romeo Conbolt. I could've died from embarrassment and awe and shyness, but instead, I tentatively stepped closer to him, nervously straightening my skirt.

As soon as I was right by his bed, he spoke.

"Are you alright?" he asked, a strange intensity in his voice and a slight look of panic in his eyes.

"Umm, yes," I replied, taken aback. "A-Are you ok?"

"I'm good," he replied, sighing with… relief? He settled back and gestured to the chair on his left. "It's ok, you can sit down if you want."

I shuffled nervously. "I don't want to be a bother…"

"You won't, trust me," he said. "Those girls were a bother."

I laughed a little and sat. He looked relaxed, much different from when he was with those girls. "How do you feel?"

He shrugged. "Well… I'm fine, now that… you're here," he mumbled the last part so softly that I strained to hear.

"What?"

"What?"

I pouted and he smiled, poking my cheek and making me turn redder than a Jolokia pepper. "You're cute when you blush," he said in a soft voice and we both froze, stunned, our eyes locking.

I turned my eyes away, feeling I'll burst into flames if I blushed anymore. Romeo cleared his throat and glanced out the window. We sat in silence for what seemed like eternity.

"Really?" I asked softly, feeling my cheeks burn hotter than ever.

"Really." He looked down, staring at his fists clenching the sheets until his knuckles turned white.

There was another silence and I tentatively reached out and touched his arm gently, my hand trembling, feeling scared and daring at the same time. He looked up at me and I raised my eyes to meet his. He smiled and placed his hand over mine and I gasped slightly.

"Do you know when was the first time I saw you?" He spoke gently, soothingly.

"No." I shook my head and he continued speaking.

"It was at the first day of school. I was with Natsu-nii and the others in front of the school building. Natsu-nii was waiting for Lucy and when she walked in with Levy and right behind the two of them was you." He spoke distantly, as if she wasn't there anymore. "And then it was like everything had disappeared and it was just you and me alone together."

I looked up at him with astonishment but he went on. "After you came to talk to Natsu-nii and the others, you looked at me and you blushed and I swear I have never seen anything more beautiful except for your smile." He sighed. "I even got jealous of Natsu-nii when you smiled at him."

My mind was buzzing. Was this a confession? Was he really confessing to _me_?

"And after that, I kept trying to work up the courage to talk to you, get to know you better, but I've found out some things about you, like your sweet personality." He seemingly unconsciously squeezed my hand but I stayed still, listening.

"I thought I was just attracted to you since you were pretty and all and then… halfway into the school year…" He sighed again, but it wasn't a tired sigh. "I realized I'm in love with you."

I gasped out loud this time and he turned back to me, his eyes soft and he cautiously reached up and touched my face with his fingers, stroking my cheek so lightly it tickled. Spots of red bloomed where he touched me.

Romeo dropped his hand and sighed, leaning back into his pillow. "I've wanted to say all that for a while. It feels nice to let it all out."

I was speechless. Romeo loved me? I'm dreaming right?

"No you're not dreaming." He laughed lightly as I blushed, realizing I spoke that one out loud.

"But…" Here he looked at me with a scared and hopeful look. "Do you love me back?"

I couldn't speak for a few seconds and his expression gradually became forlorn and depressed. "It's ok if you don't. I mean, well, I'm not that—"

I flew at him and hugged him as tight as I could. "Romeo!" I wailed.

"Ehh?" His arms went around me and held me close. "What's wrong?"

"I love you too," I whispered, turning red once again. I felt and heard his breath catch.

"Really?" he breathed.

"Really," I said and I yelped as he crushed me to him. He buried his face in my neck and I put my cheek on his soft and yet slightly rough hair.

We held each other for a long, long time.

* * *

I straightened from my seat and brushed his hair with my hand. He grasped it and brought it to his face and I gently stroked his cheek. We had talked for a long time, getting to know each other even better than before and I found that he was easy to talk with and he also made me comfortable, instead of shy and awkward.

"It's almost time to go," I said.

Romeo looked disappointed. "Time passes when you're having fun, huh?"

I nodded with a sad smile and leaned in to give him another hug. He put his arms around me again and whispered, "Wendy."

"Hm?" I drew back to look into his face and my eyes widened as his lips found mine and we were kissing.

And my heart never stopped pounding faster than a hummingbird flaps its wings.

He broke away and stared lovingly into my stunned eyes. "I love you."

My mouth dropped, my haywire brain yelling at me to reply, but seemingly wasn't able to make my mouth move properly. All that came out was a garbled, "Huh?"

He laughed outright at that and poked my cheek for the second time that day. "You're so cute."

I turned so red I could've fried an egg on my face. "You… you… you…" I stopped, not able to think of a proper comeback, so I kissed him back.

His eyes widened and it was his turn to become speechless. I smiled and kissed his cheek as a knock on the door sounded.

A nurse poked her head in and, taking stock of our red faces, smiled knowingly but apologetically. "I'm sorry but it's 5 o'clock, visiting hours are over." She laughed. "I'll give you two lovebirds five minutes to say goodbye." Still chuckling, she closed the door.

Romeo groaned. "That's the nurse who was assigned to my room. I'll never hear the end of it tonight."

I giggled and kissed him again, just a light peck on his lips. "I guess I have to go."

He grasped my hand as I picked up my backpack. "Be safe alright?" His eyes were serious. "It's dangerous out there. I have a panic attack whenever you walk home alone cause I know at least one of the girls walks home with you daily."

"I'll be fine," I soothed. "Look, it's not even dark yet."

"By the time you get home, it will be," he said darkly.

"Romeo, you're overreacting. It only takes me an hour, maybe less."

"Still." He squeezed my hand. "You have my number?"

I took out my phone and held it out to him. He quickly typed it in and I saved it, putting it on speed dial 2. "Done."

"Call me as soon as you get home," he insisted.

"I will." I gave him a last hug and kiss. "I'll be safe."

"Don't go into any shady streets. Stay in brightly-lit places and watch out for anyone suspicious. Don't talk to strangers either."

"Romeo," I laughed. "I'm not five." I kissed his forehead and he kissed my lips in return. "I'll be safe. I promise."

The nurse came again and I left, Romeo watching after me worriedly.

* * *

I rode the bus without anything happening, but when I got to my stop, all the street lights were out.

"There was a power shortage," someone told me, seeing my inquisitive gaze. "Entire blocks were out of power, but workers say they'll fix it soon."

I thanked him and made my lonely way home.

Without the light, it was pretty scary and I wished Chelia was with me. Or better yet, Romeo.

There was a rustling up ahead and I stopped short as the girls who were with Romeo earlier stepped out from behind corners and walked forward to stand before me. They all wore menacing looks and carried baseball bats and iron pipes and even a crowbar.

"Well, if it isn't the little girlie," the brunette from earlier drawled. "Where's your friend, huh?"

The girls grinned and stepped closer, but when I looked back, two more were behind me. I had no escape and they slowly backed me against a wall. It was a quiet, out-of-the-way place. Nobody would come to help me even if I screamed.

"You know why we're doing this?" a girl with dyed-blond hair hissed. "It's because a little slut like you got Romeo-kun."

"You're trash. Why don't you go back to whatever hole you crawled from?" another snarled.

"Look at that pretty face," a girl who always wears skintight jeans and five-inch heels sneered. "Shame we're going to mess it up so bad Romeo'll never look at you again."

I started trembling. They were really going to do it. They were really going to beat me. Tears started prickling my eyes.

"Aww, look at her cry," a girl sniggered and they all laughed. "Well, crying won't make us stop you know, cause we want you to cry. And beg so hard for us to kill you."

"Well, let's get on with it, girls," the brunette said. "I have a party to go to later."

They raised their weapons and my knees started shaking.

Romeo…Romeo… Romeo!

Save me…

Please…

Come…

And then the brunette brought her pipe down hard on my shoulder I heard something crack and a horrible sound coming from me as I fell to the ground in agony. The girl with the heels stomped on me, bruising my ribs and I cried out again. Then they all attacked over and over again and I lost myself to the pain.

* * *

I was dimly aware, what felt like hours later, of the darkness seemingly lightening and the stone ground beneath me wet and cold and the birds chirping. I couldn't move.

There was a sound nearby, a bark, and then there was this snuffling and whining by my ear. Someone shouted and then there was a man's voice, loud with alarm, and then frantic and fast. Then there was more barking and a very loud sound over and over again and people bending over me and putting fingers by my neck and lifting me up as I made this low sound as my body screamed with pain and then there was darkness once again.

* * *

I woke to brightness and light and my first thought was, I'm dead. I'm dead and I'm in Heaven and I'll never see Romeo again, just like those girls said.

Then there was this beeping sound nearby and I blinked.

This wasn't Heaven. It was a hospital room. And next to me was Romeo, asleep in a chair with crutches by the wall.

"Romeo," I whispered.

His eyes opened and he yawned before focusing on me. "Wendy!" He shuffled forward, something bulky bumping against the floor, and he was next to me, his lips on mine for a long minute and he drew back, eyes furious and worried and frustrated and full of love and affection for me. "Wendy, are you ok?"

"I feel like crap," I croaked.

He let out a sound that was like half-laugh, half- sob and carefully put his arms around me. "You're pretty hurt."

"I really don't wanna know about it," I whispered and I started crying. "It hurt so much and I was so scared and I wanted you to come but you didn't and then they were beating me over and over and—"

Romeo hugged me tightly, but not so tight as to hurt me again and with astonishment, I felt him crying with me.

"I'm sorry," he sobbed. "I'm sorry. It's all my fault. If it wasn't for me you wouldn't have gotten hurt. I'm sorry."

I soothed him with my voice, since I couldn't move my arms, due to them being broken in several places. "Shh… it's alright. I forgive you."

He simply shook his head and cried harder until the tears stopped and he sniffled, wiping his nose on a tissue. "I'm still sorry," he whispered.

"I love you," I told him.

Romeo kissed me back. "I love you too."

Then Natsu, Chelia, Lucy, Levy, Gray, Erza, Gajeel, and Jellal came in. They all took one look at me and their faces turned to fury and sadness.

Natsu cracked his knuckles. "Whoever they were, I'm going to beat them unto an unrecognizable pulp, even if they are girls." Gray, Gajeel, and Jellal nodded at his words.

"It's really ok," I said in a poor attempt to placate them.

Erza shook her head. "What they did was unforgivable. Remember: whoever makes a move against a Fairy Tail member would suffer tenfold for his or her crimes."

Fairy Tail was a club that started several generations ago and accepted whoever was in need of a home and a family.

Lucy came to me and gently touched my shoulder. "What those girls did was horrible to you and you shouldn't have had to gone through what you had."

Romeo nodded. "We've already informed the police and I've told them their names, so even if you say no, it's already done."

Chelia came to my side her eyes puffy and her face sad. "You've slept for five whole days, Wendy. You were that hurt. Don't let this go without retribution."

Levy, as usual, was consulting a book. "They can actually go to prison for this and in my opinion, they deserve it." The rest chimed in their approval and I looked into their faces and sighed.

"Alright."

* * *

By tomorrow, all nine of the girls were arrested and I was let out of the hospital a month later, but I had to stay at the large house where I lived with my cat Carla, Lucy, Levy, Erza, Juvia, Evergreen, Laki, and Bisca, who was engaged.

Romeo brought me my homework and tutored me every day despite his own broken foot. He soon became as common in Fairy Hills (the name of the house we lived in) as Natsu, Jellal, Gajeel, Gray, and Alzack, and stayed over for dinner occasionally to feed me until my arms are better.

It wasn't until a long time later that I was finally able to be free again. As soon as I was able to survive without my casts and my wheelchair, Romeo dragged me out of the house and out into the world for the first time in what feels like forever.

He took me to everything I missed, like the cute little tea shop around the corner of Fairy Hills and one of my favorite restaurants and so many other places.

At the end of the day, we sat finishing our ice creams as we watched the sun set in the park by the Sakura trees.

"I missed this," I sighed, leaning onto Romeo's shoulder.

"Mmm," he agreed, crunching on the last bit of his waffle cone the same time as I finished mine. We laughed and relaxed into each other.

There was silence for another few minutes.

"If there was one thing you could've changed in your life, what would it be?" I asked.

"Nothing."

"Really?"

"Yup."

"Well what about when I got beaten up?"

Romeo flinched and held me closer. "Well, I would change that. I stayed by your side those five days and I never left the room."

"If I could change one thing in my life, I would tell you to reject those girls more nicely and maybe then I wouldn't have gotten beaten."

"Well, maybe that."

I laughed and stood. "Time to go."

He pulled me down again. "Stay for a few minutes."

"Ok."

He leaned down and kissed my cheek. "So… school's starting again soon."

"I know."

"Everything's going to be different now, right?"

I groaned, thinking of all the attention I'll grab. "Yeah."

"And to make sure nobody steals you away…" He pulled out a jewelry bag decorated with sky blue dragons, which was my favorite mythical creature the same as Natsu and Gajeel, and gave it to me. "Open it."

I did and turned it upside down so that a silver ring fell out. It had a simple band, but the blue topaz was in the shape of a heart and there were two smaller hearts facing to the left and right on either side of the larger heart. I gasped at its beauty.

"It's beautiful, just like you." He smiled and slipped it onto my index finger, but it was a little too loose. And that was when he pulled out another jewelry bag and I turned it upside down so that a silver chain fell out of it and into my palm. "I bought this just in case."

I slipped the chain through the ring and Romeo helped me clasp it behind my neck.

And there it will stay forever.

* * *

**What do you think? My second RoWen fanfiction :3 Review~**


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